Road cycling is so boring in the weeks leading up to the Tour de France.. one of the few highlights is the National Championships. Most nations hold races on the Sunday before the Tour starts, and the winner gets to wear a jersey bearing their flag for the next 12 months in every race they participate in. Here are some of the results of today's races:
Belgium: Serge Baguet (Davitamon-Lotto)
Germany: Gerald Ciolek (Akud Arnolds Sicherheit)
Italy: Enrico Gasparotto (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Kazakhstan: Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile)
Netherlands: Leon Van Bon (Davitamon-Lotto)
Spain: Juan Manuel Garate (Saunier Duval)
Switzerland: Martin Elmiger (Phonak)
USA: Chris Wherry (HealthNet) (this one is held in May)
There are some major upsets here. Vinokourov is no surprise; he's one of the best cyclists on the planet right now. But the German champion is an amateur rider, and he beat no less than Erik Zabel in a sprint.
Also of note: the Lithuanian champion is Raimondas Rumsas. I think it was during the 2003 Giro d'Italia that Rumsas' wife, Edita, was caught trying to cross a border with $10,000 worth of EPO in her trunk. She insisted it was for her grandmother, but they arrested her anyway. Rumsas promptly fled the country and went into hiding until it was sorted out; he was suspended from the sport for a year. So his comeback isn't going to come easy.. I would expect a lot of booing if he ever won a major race again.
Belgium: Serge Baguet (Davitamon-Lotto)
Germany: Gerald Ciolek (Akud Arnolds Sicherheit)
Italy: Enrico Gasparotto (Liquigas-Bianchi)
Kazakhstan: Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile)
Netherlands: Leon Van Bon (Davitamon-Lotto)
Spain: Juan Manuel Garate (Saunier Duval)
Switzerland: Martin Elmiger (Phonak)
USA: Chris Wherry (HealthNet) (this one is held in May)
There are some major upsets here. Vinokourov is no surprise; he's one of the best cyclists on the planet right now. But the German champion is an amateur rider, and he beat no less than Erik Zabel in a sprint.
Also of note: the Lithuanian champion is Raimondas Rumsas. I think it was during the 2003 Giro d'Italia that Rumsas' wife, Edita, was caught trying to cross a border with $10,000 worth of EPO in her trunk. She insisted it was for her grandmother, but they arrested her anyway. Rumsas promptly fled the country and went into hiding until it was sorted out; he was suspended from the sport for a year. So his comeback isn't going to come easy.. I would expect a lot of booing if he ever won a major race again.